Apple Launches Repair Program for Late 2013 Mac Pro Video Issues

[MH01]

You mean: "Intel, where are your 28 W TDP U-series Skylake chips?".
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For all practical purposes, the current Mac Pro really started shipping in January 2014. That's two years, not three. Moreover, it isn't Apple's fault that Xeons for a particular processor generation are released one to two years after the standard desktop chips.

Apple could have released a Haswell update to the Mac Pro. They could have released a model updated graphic cards and storage. But I think to some degree they keep postponing the update because there is always something new they could include if they wait another six months, so they wait for that.
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Design a thermal core to cool two big graphic cards and then best release an external graphic housing that is noisy.

The xeons in the current Mac pros are its strongest point , for a machine aimed at video editing , the 7970s are a joke in 2016, and the GPUs are there , no waiting. Upgrading the GPUs would see a massive performance boost even with the current xeons.

No point blaming Intel. Mac pros need a desperate update in GPUs and storage, along with TB3. Users can upgrade the xeons themselves .

More worrying is things like Apple removing support for raid in the latest version of OS X . The software is even loosing key features....the OS is being dumbed down. I had to get softraid

 

[jblagden]

I don't think the AMD GPU is manufactured in the US.
AMD has manufacturing plants in Taiwan/Mainland China and Malaysia, I think.

My guess is that because of Apple design priorities like compact size and silent operation the GPU is prone to overheat. That might be the reason of all the gpu problems history.

Yeah. With the 2011 MacBook Pros, the GPU probably overheated because it was an AMD GPU. But with the 2012 Retina MacBook Pros it was probably the ultra-compact size, which led to insufficient cooling. Did the 2012 Retina MacBook Pro have one fan or two? I know the 2011 MacBook Pro had two fans and even that didn't help to cool the AMD GPU.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

You all just don´t understand the GENIUS of Jony Ive !!!

FOR YEARS he and his hardware-departmen were doing a rather hard work!

They searched for a piece of perfectly elaborated ART symbolizing the "NEW APPLE inc."
So - finally they invented the form factor of the nMP:

You put in a lot of money - and get out nothing but hot air and well-toasted GPUs…..

 

[jscooper22]

Great, how 'bout a new model now? And btw some of us will sacrifice wiz bang graphics for a second power supply and more expandability. My Xserves are starting to get a bit senile and I REALLY don't want to have to switch to a Hyper-V environment in my server room.

 

[macpt]

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Tim must have fired them.

There's a lot of firing going on at Apple then.

 

[pat500000]

My upgraded cMP says even "2009" - and I take it with a BIG smile.
Never had issues with it. Well-upgraded 4,1/5,1 get nearly as performant as the trash-can-styled GPU-toasters…

True but apple no longer supports 2009.

 

[Ryan0751]

More worrying is things like Apple removing support for raid in the latest version of OS X . The software is even loosing key features....the OS is being dumbed down. I had to get softraid

Actually you didn't.

Apple dumbed down Disk Utility, and removed all of the RAID options, yes. This annoyed me too. The new Disk Utility is ridiculously feature-less.

BUT, you can still do RAID with El Capitan. You do need to use command line tools, but the support is still there. From what I understand there's a new version of Disk Utility coming back with the features added back in under the new "look".

It's pretty silly how they are doing this...

 

[xnu]

When I look at Apple's current lineup, I miss my PowerMac 8600...

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac/specs/powermac_8600_200.html

Loved that computer... I may be a bit older...
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_ii/specs/mac_iici.html

 

[MH01]

Actually you didn't.

Apple dumbed down Disk Utility, and removed all of the RAID options, yes. This annoyed me too. The new Disk Utility is ridiculously feature-less.

BUT, you can still do RAID with El Capitan. You do need to use command line tools, but the support is still there. From what I understand there's a new version of Disk Utility coming back with the features added back in under the new "look".

It's pretty silly how they are doing this...

I'm aware you can still use raid and set it up via terminal, as I had to on my mini. Monitoring the raid setup is the issue.

I hope they bring it back asap.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

It's pretty silly how they are doing this...

I know exactly what you mean, and, it is really annoying how this keeps happening in different places. They keep removing options and "simplifying" things. All it does is complicate things for long-time users. I suppose that there must be a reason for it -- perhaps every Christmas, they get calls from newbies who tried to use the RAID option because they read about RAID somewhere, but, for the sake of not handling a few newbie calls, they make it harder for everyone else.

 

[MH01]

I know exactly what you mean, and, it is really annoying how this keeps happening in different places. They keep removing options and "simplifying" things. All it does is complicate things for long-time users. I suppose that there must be a reason for it -- perhaps every Christmas, they get calls from newbies who tried to use the RAID option because they read about RAID somewhere, but, for the sake of not handling a few newbie calls, they make it harder for everyone else.

I suspect apple is heading down the path of simplified products which includes the OS, so the user has no input into how thier device works or is supported. Unlike say old iMacs or minis, and Mac pros of course where the user would choose thier own upgrades and decide on thier own if they want to run two drives in raid 0, 1, one drive as a back up etc etc.

Right now, you buy it as it is, and no options, no upgrades, and good luck even opening it up.

This is annoying for us old school Mac users who would love to tinker, though for the masses, it makes sense. Your average joe considers the new mini to be cheaper and awesome, us tech oriented mob, consider it a huge step backward, vocal as we may be, we are a minority.

 

[BruceEBonus]

...'was just about to hand over the readies to the man. Suddenly... A voice whispers in my ear. It was the bloke from the Buyers Guide Saloon. He said .... "Oi mate. Don't Buy!" "Really? Why? " I asked. "Not been updated in two years!" He replied. And with that. He was gone. As is Apple's interest in top end Macs hardware and software.

 

[patrickbarnes]

I have a nMP purchased in Feb 2014 (not 2015) with these exact symptoms. I bought the D700s.

It's pretty much the most disappointing $6000 computer I've ever purchased. As well as the video issues, it also has issues with USB power (the ports sometimes lose power and connectivity).

I've been able to work around the issues by never shutting it down or letting it sleep (caffinate -s), and buying an external powered USB hub.

Still, I wish I bought an iMac 5k and saved 4k. I won't buy a US made Apple computer again -- there are good reasons everyone manufactures stuff in China.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

Still, I wish I bought an iMac 5k and saved 4k. I won't buy a US made Apple computer again -- there are good reasons everyone manufactures stuff in China.

I was with you until -- this. Your conclusion doesn't follow at all. These are system issues that Apple engineering needs to deal with-- if they consider it important. Just like any cooling issues that the nMP might have -- are engineering issues.

 

[Glassed Silver]

It's all down to being RohS compliant. These gpu problems started to come up after they stopped using lead in the solder. With the RohS compliant tin solders, they just start to disintegrate after a series of hot/cold cycles and the solder cracks, leading to these problems. It'd frankly be a lot more environmentally friendly if they went back to using lead/tin blends instead of replacing the chip 5 times.

It's all about the green label bullet points, nobody seems to really think this through.

Instead the customer is supposed to be wowed by just another label "ah, so good for the environment!"

Yeah I'll take a few grams of lead over driving to my Apple licensed shop and having to wait a week or more to get it fixed, probably getting lead-free solder again and just resetting the "timer".

Meanwhile, how much carbon-dioxide have I pumped into the air doing this?

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

It's all about the green label bullet points, nobody seems to really think this through. [...] Yeah I'll take a few grams of lead over driving to my Apple licensed shop and having to wait a week or more to get it fixed, probably getting lead-free solder again and just resetting the "timer".

You are assuming that (some/most/all) these problems are caused by the new solder. For that fraction of problems that were, perhaps they are just teething problems, and, those problems have been solved?

But, I fail to see how you can blame solder for inadequate cooling engendered by a desire for excessive thinness and some particular aesthetic look? Perhaps Apple needs to point some of its engineering resources towards doing some cooling analysis aerodynamics?

 

[patrickbarnes]

I was with you until -- this. Your conclusion doesn't follow at all. These are system issues that Apple engineering needs to deal with-- if they consider it important. Just like any cooling issues that the nMP might have -- are engineering issues.

This is a $6000 lemon. I don't care where it's made since nationalism is moronic to begin with, but let me say I'm glad I bought AppleCare and put it on an Amex.

 

[allanyong]

My Mac Pro was purchased during the time of the affect period. And I have already got my fixed at Apple Store. Though the 'genius' told me this product never had any issues, and my unit was the first defect one in months.

 

[coolfactor]

Just realized. Someone that drops $3k+ on a brand new Mac in 2016 can take it home, unbox it, boot it up and when they go to "About This Mac" it'll say LATE 2013.

It's rather sad that Apple has allowed the Mac Pro to become so dated, but I think part of the reason has been suppliers... AMD and Intel. Have they provided adequate upgraded processors since 2013? Intel, for sure, fell behind on their processor roadmap, so that may be a contributing factor. But I think an interim refresh may have been worthwhile for Apple to save face, at least.

 

[sudo1996]

It seems quite clear IMO why Apple is trying to get rid of dGPUs as fast as possible. It seems like every other iteration of Mac has dGPU issues. Apple must be sick of them. The route they took with the 4K iMacs makes me thing the next major MBP redesign won't have dGPUs at all.

Maybe they should just stop using dGPUs made by AMD. Well, I can't say that about the MPs because I don't know anything about workstation GPUs.
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More worrying is things like Apple removing support for raid in the latest version of OS X . The software is even loosing key features....the OS is being dumbed down. I had to get softraid

Edit: Oh, someone already replied about the RAID. I'll add that you CAN use the old Disk Utility in El Capitan through an easy hack.

 

[Glassed Silver]

You are assuming that (some/most/all) these problems are caused by the new solder. For that fraction of problems that were, perhaps they are just teething problems, and, those problems have been solved?

But, I fail to see how you can blame solder for inadequate cooling engendered by a desire for excessive thinness and some particular aesthetic look? Perhaps Apple needs to point some of its engineering resources towards doing some cooling analysis aerodynamics?

The problem is that excessive heat issues can cause a GPU to lose contact with the board its soldered to.
This is basically the Xbox 360 E74/RROD situation.
Of course this doesn't have to be the issue and the chip itself takes damage from the heat problem.

Neither of those scenarios are desirable obviously and I'd be the last one to say that albeit the new Mac Pro might have some kind of look going for it (although I find the old MP to be aesthetically superior), the old design wins the functionality race.
Obviously the old design allows for better heat dissipation as well, so yes, I believe the new design is a mistake.

I'm not holding my breath for Apple to leave the looks over functionality path any time soon though.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[greenmeanie]

Is it a bit of a case of American pride being damaged, given the machine was USA built?

Could of swore it was Assembled in America not made in America. I think the junk parts are made overseas like usual.

 

[MH01]

Edit: Oh, someone already replied about the RAID. I'll add that you CAN use the old Disk Utility in El Capitan through an easy hack.

Look. You can setup a raid via terminal, and you can use 3rd party software to monitor it, or as you say hack, the point is, functionality was removed from El Capitan, and that was the ability to setup up and monitor raid via disk utility, something we have had over 6 years.

Let's not endorse hacking to Justify the current situation.

And what is this simple hack? It's okay I found a tutorial.

problem Being it's got a nice disclaimer. See below, I can see a few users having an issue with it.

DISCLAIMER: Using an outdated version of a system utility bears a lot of risks and may result in the complete loss or corruption of your data. If you’re doing this, you are on your own and Apple will certainly not support you in a way. This is where the fun begins!

 

[flat five]

Could of swore it was Assembled in America not made in America. I think the junk parts are made overseas like usual.

right.. apple's wording is Designed in California :: Assembled in the USA

that aside, some pretty freaking awesome robots are making much of these things:

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Actually you didn't.

Apple dumbed down Disk Utility, and removed all of the RAID options, yes. This annoyed me too. The new Disk Utility is ridiculously feature-less.

BUT, you can still do RAID with El Capitan. You do need to use command line tools, but the support is still there. From what I understand there's a new version of Disk Utility coming back with the features added back in under the new "look".

It's pretty silly how they are doing this...

I have a Garmin fenix 3, and they removed some of the functionality in the last 'update'. The problem is that Garmin hasn't announced that they even realize that people actually used the stuff they removed.

I'm now thinking that I should have gotten the Apple Watch and stuffed all the drama...

Crap, if Garmin can just decide to remove features at a whim, what the heck else are they capable of...

But, yeah, the 'dumbing down' of things is getting to me. Society, OS X, politics, TV, life...